'Food has a story' Necklace and Earring Set {Donation}

I am donating this set to MEarth for their Earth Day Silent Auction fundraiser.

‘Food has a story.’ 

I located an artisan in southern California who was able to turn my handwriting into a pendant. I chose this sentence because I believe it’s something people need to remember and embrace – and it seemed an appropriate connection to MEarth’s FoodConnect programs. “When people gather around a table to share food, magic happens,” I read on MEarth’swebsite. I couldn’t agree more.

A ‘Food has a story’ pendant, in sterling silver, is the focal point of this one-of-a-kind necklace. The pendant is handwired in sterling silver with faceted light and dark smoky quartz rondelles, faceted moonstone rondelles, tiny turquoise nuggets, and an up-cycled sterling silver chain. It closes in the rear with a sterling silver hook-and-eye clasp. 

The coordinating earrings are made with up-cycled sterling findings and faceted pale sapphires they hang from sterling silver earwires.

‘Lighting Sun’ Tulip Necklace and Earring Set {Donation}

Inspired by the shades and stature of the Lighting Sun tulips, I created this especially for the York School Auction Gala, April 2014.

Carnelian nuggets, orange recycled glass, and faceted moonstone are all handwired with sterling silver to create this one-of-a-kind necklace and earring set. These pieces feature upcycled sterling findings and chain; the sterling ear wires are handmade by an artisan in the San Francisco bay area.

"From the Inky Depths" Choker and Earring Set {Donation}

I’m always happy to support local organizations with donations of EcoChic Designs’ pieces. So, when a friend asked me to donate to a fundraising event for her son's school, I didn't hesitate. This choker - and coordinating earrings - will be up for bid at a fundraising event for MAOS at the end of this month...

From the Inky Depths

A hefty pewter octopus is the focal point of this choker and earring set. Inky purple, deep red, clear, and murky brown recycled glass beads, faceted smoky quartz nuggets, hematite rounds and twisted barrels, bronzite, ocean jasper are hand-wired with the sterling silver to create this one-of-a-kind piece. 

MAOS is an advanced college preparatory academy in a public school setting with over 250 students from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds throughout Monterey County. Some of their collaborating partners include: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Moss Landing Marine Lab, CSU Monterey Bay, Hopkins Marine Lab, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Naval Postgraduate School.

Water Droplet Earrings and Necklace for They Are One

They Are One is a local non-profit raising funds to provide the Cornerstone Children’s Home - an orphanage in southern Sudan - with a supply of fresh, clean water. And since a friend of mine from high school is one of the founders, I am happily donating to their benefit luncheon and auction this week. Read the Off 68 article about the group and their project.

Inspired by their mission of providing water for the orphanage, I used water-colored glass beads and aquamarine chips in the creation of this one-of-a-kind necklace and earring set. A variety of blue milky glass beads are handwired with sterling silver to form water droplets. The earrings hang from hammered artisan-made ear wires and the matching pendant is suspended on a sterling silver chain.

Wine and Chocolate

When I received an email from a friend of my dad, asking for a donation to her fundraising event, I didn't hesitate. Her event - a wine and chocolate soiree for Girls, Inc. - immediately got my creative gears turning. Wine and chocolate. Two of my favorites!

I created a necklace and earring set with small, deep violet pearls that remind me of ripe Pinot Noir grapes, bronzite and a milk chocolate-hued Kazuri bead.

Years ago a friend invited me to a Kazuri bead party. Click here to read the whole story about Kazuri beads. The short version: these are made by women in Kenya, giving them gainful employment through a marketable handicraft. Kazuri, in Swahili, means "small and beautiful."

Peace and Thank You

I just received an email this morning from the woman who won one of my necklace and earring sets. She wrote: "I wanted you to know that I wore the necklace and earrings from the York Gala, the PAX pieces, for Easter and had several compliments.  Thank you for being so generous with your talents!!"

That made my day.

Here's the one-of-a-kind necklace that she won...with matching earrings.

PAX Necklace and Earring Set
PAX, in Latin, means 'peace.' Not just 'peace' as in the opposite of war, but 'peace' as in 'calm, grace, quiet and serenity.' The story goes that the five marks on the sand dollar are actually five doves that, when broken open and released, will spread peace and happiness throughout the land.

These pieces are handwired with bits of aqua colored glass, neon blue apatite, and hefty sterling silver pieces.

Plum Blossom Necklace and Earring Set for the Carmel Foundation

 A good friend of mine is the development manager for The Carmel Foundation, so when she told me she was working on their auction, I got busy making a donation for the cause. Cabaret is the theme for this year's event, but I was stumped on making a piece in that vein; so I ended up with a floral motif set in deep greens and purple.

I hope she likes...and I hope it does well at the auction.

Sterling silver flowers - featured on the pendant, on the toggle, and in the earring findings - are handwired with grossular garnet nuggets, recycled purple glass nuggets, purple charoite rounds, green labradorite rounds, and rhyolite ovals.

Earrings feature green and purple fluorite nuggets, hanging from sterling silver French wires.

"All Sorts of Oohs"

Whenever I donate to an auction, I choose to do it because of the cause it supports.  I will always support the boys' school, my alma mater, and various foundations around the area that are close to my heart.

But it's not often that I get any feedback from the person who won it. I knew that a friend had been outbid.  I just didn't know who walked away with it in the end.  So, after having donated my Bacchus Lariat to the York School auction, I was very excited to get this email from the winner:

"Guess what: I’m the one who bought it. It’s terrific. I wore it today and got all sorts of oohs. Thanks from York, thanks from me. Love seeing those boys and being in touch from afar; they are growing up so fast!"

Enjoy!

Cin Cin for a Good Cause

Hefty sterling silver grapes and luscious cabernet-colored recycled glass inspired this choker and earring set that's going to my dad's Monterey Peninsula Sunrise Rotary Club's International Night 2011 auction in May. 

Click here for more information about the event.

Cin Cin Choker and Earring Set: a hefty sterling grape cluster hangs at the center of the choker. Recycled cabernet-colored glass, sterling silver, and garnets are all handwired to complete this one-of-a-kind choker.  Recycled cabernet colored glass and garnets are handwired with sterling silver and hang from sterling French wires to match the choker.

Bacchus Lariat for York School's Auction Gala

To the Greeks he was Dionysus.  To the Romans he was Bacchus.  To both cultures, he was the god of wine and intoxication. 

I created this wine-themed lariat for York School's fundraising gala on March 5th, 2011.

With a hefty sterling silver grape cluster on one strand and Bacchus's face on a grape leaf on the other, recycled glass in two shades of red, garnets, and sterling silver beads are handwired with sterling silver complete this one-of-a-kind piece.

For more information about the York School event, click here.